Conservatory roofs may be constructed in a number of different ways. Traditionally, timber members have been cut on site to the required size and were then nailed or screwed together. Glazing was then fitted to glazing bars extending from a ridge beam down to a wall plate, laid around the upper surface of the conservatory walls. Such a roof construction is relatively expensive to implement and so many conservatory roofs are now assembled from pre-formed metal sections, either cut remote from the location at which the roof is to be constructed and then assembled on site, or cut and assembled on site, as appropriate, whereafter multi-wall plastics sheeting is fitted to the glazing bars to complete the roof.
A typical conservatory roof assembled from metal sections may have a ring beam extending around the upper surface of the conservatory walls, a ridge member disposed approximately centrally between opposed side walls of the conservatory and higher than the ring beam, and glazing bars extending between the ridge member and the ring beam, sloping downwardly from the ridge member to the ring beam. The ridge member typically is of a relatively complex construction in order to have the required strength and also to permit the affixing thereto of glazing bars, at the appropriate angle. For example, such a ridge member may have a number of different components which are typically aluminium extrusions of complex shapes, suitably affixed together. In addition, one or more folded metal strips may be secured to the ridge member, for example to serve as a capping strip and also as valances to conceal fixings, connections and so on.
The known designs of metal (and usually aluminium alloy) conservatory roof assemblies require the use of a significant number of different extrusions, strips and other sections. For example, it is not uncommon for as many as 60 different sections, strips and so on to be required, ignoring simple fastenings, seals and the like.